Help With Algea Problem

[kengaroo]

I have added my first corals to my tank 2 weeks ago. I am using 192W power compact fluorescent lights. At first I had the 10K lights running for 8 hours and Actnic lights for 10 hours, then I realizes that the side of my tank and some rocks were starting to turn green. 2 pieces of rock had red algea and another rock turning brown. I assume I have more than one type of algea spreading quickly. Since then I have dropped the 10k lights to 5.5 hours and actnic to 6 hours. My water parameters are:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 10
PH - 8.2
Calcium - 440
I am planning to another 192gph powerhead and a Phosphate test kit. I am starting to cut back on feeding. My tank is 46 gallon.
I want to know what is the mininum hour of lights my corals will need. I don't want to cut the light to reduce the algae if it will harm my corals. Is there anything that I can put in the tank to get rid of the algea? Does Marine Snow cause algea to grow? That is what I am using to feed my corals. Currently, I have 5 hermit crabs, 3 mexican turbo snails and around 40 nassarius snails.

 

[winstew]

How old is the tank?
New tanks will have algae spurts as they cycle. Diatoms will grow and spread quickly and then dissappear. Does it look like hair? Hair algae also will grow in new or over nutrient tanks.
Some types of coraline will be green as well which is perfectly normal.
Any food that does not get consumed will break down into ammonia, nitrites and nitrates eventually. Algae sometimes masks the actual amount of NO3 in the water because it is being consumed by the plants and therefore not showing up on your test.
What kind of coral?
8 hours of light would be sufficent to sustain most corals as long as the light is sufficent.
PICS would also help a great deal

 

[michaeltx]

I agree with winstew a few pics would help.
What does the algae look like?
I use my lights on for 7-8 hours especially with an unwanted algae bloom. but as stated above there are so many types of algae that some are good algae like coraline algae. rocks will start by growing the green algae sometimes and then the pink and red acoraline will start to take off. but without a little more of a description as to what it looks like its hard to say.
Mike
BTW check the experation on the marine snow and take a smell if it smells like rotten eggs dont use it or out of date. but if in date and good it wont cause an algae bloom.

 

[kengaroo]

Here are some pictures. I have these corals:
candycane
sun polyps
tonga hammer coral
open brain
super orange zoo

 

[kengaroo]

2 more pictures.

 

[kengaroo]

bump

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by kengaroo
bump
That rock looks perfectly normal with some nice beginning coraline growth on it. This tank is fairly new isn't it? That is a thin layer of growth on there. I am sorry, but I don't understand what you think the problem is those are all good things and will look beautifull once it is fully spread!!!

 

[kengaroo]

I didn't think it was normal for the sand to turn green and red. I have to clean my glass every week to keep the green algae from getting out of control. The tank is 13 months old.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by kengaroo
I didn't think it was normal for the sand to turn green and red. I have to clean my glass every week to keep the green algae from getting out of control.
Yep, get some snails and hermit crabs. I had to take my inverts and rock out to do hypo, I got all kinds of colored growth without the rock in there! The clean up crew will take care of it on the surfaces of your tank. You said you have anemones right? then you will need the lights on. Get a descent cleanup crew to take care of the rest. Btw, whats your cleanup crew consist of now?

 

[kengaroo]

I have 3 mexican trubo snails, 7 hermit crabs and 40 nassarius snails. Is that enough? Any recommendations is appreciated.